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Contamination of tap water eyed in cases of dysentery

"Investigators still need to determine the source of infection, before it can be ascertained as to whether contaminated water was responsible for the infection."

Twu Shiing-jer, director-general of the Center for Disease Control

In a case suspected to have been caused by contaminated tap water, the Department of Health yesterday confirmed that six Taipei County residents have been infected with bacillary dysentery.

Bacillary dysentery is an intestinal infection caused by a group of Shigella bacteria, which can be found in the intestines of a person who is infected.

This is the first case in which residents have been infected with a notifiable, communicable disease since water-rationing measures were implemented in the Taipei area last month.

All six people are residents of an 18-story apartment building located in Tamshui, Taipei County, according to Twu Shiing-jer (涂醒哲), director-general of the health department's Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Twu said Taipei County's Bureau of Health first notified the CDC on May 28 that some residents living in the apartment building had shown symptoms of diarrhea, fever and vomiting.

The CDC collected stool and urine samples from residents and water samples from the building as soon as it received the report.

Results of the tests released yesterday, indicated that six people had indeed been infected with bacillary dysentery, Twu said.

Twu said while local health officials offered the residents preventive medication starting May 29, no further cases of the sickness have been reported.

"Investigators still need to determine the source of infection, before it can be ascertained as to whether contaminated water was responsible for the infection," Twa said.

It was likely that impurities had made their way into water pipes through leaks during the repeated cut-offs and resumptions of the water supply, Twu said.

Twu reminded people to switch off pumps at their apartment buildings and wash their hands and dishes with clean water when water supplies are cut.

According to the CDC, bacillary dysentery is spread by eating contaminated food, drinking contaminated water or by direct contact with an infected person. Dysentery-infecting bacteria are usually found in the intestinal tracts of infected people who in turn may contaminate food or water.

Fecally contaminated water and unsanitary handling of food are the most common causes of contamination.

The incubation period of the disease could last from 12 hours to 96 hours, and even one week in some cases. In addition to diarrhea, fever and vomiting, other symptoms include abdominal pain, cramps and bloody or mucoid stool, the CDC said.

Based on a preliminary investigation by the Taipei Water Department, leaky pipes were the leading cause of contaminated water supplies.
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